Stuffed Courgette

This stuffed courgette offers a delightful fusion of flavor. The inner stuffing is creamy and made from mashed chickpeas, miso, and mayo. This is topped with a tempeh crumble, marinated in tamari, rice vinegar, maple syrup, and sesame oil, which provides a satisfying contrast of flavors and textures. If you’re seeking a fresh take on stuffed courgettes, this recipe is sure to impress.

Whether you call it courgette or zucchini, this plant is easy to grow and generates an abundance of veggies. This creates a challenge that I adore – inventing new recipes.

With this recipe, I intended to create plant-based zucchini boats that are substantial enough to be eaten as a stand-alone dish. Texture-wise, I wanted to make a creamy stuffing that will remain incorporated in the zucchini boat, once we cut into it, which is often not the case if you stuff them solely with cut veggies and legumes.

This recipe is simple to make, packed with flavor, nutritious and healthy. Each portion packs around 27 grams of protein per serving, which makes it a great post-workout meal.

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Why you’ll love this recipe

• Twist on a classic Mediterranean stuffed courgette – with an unexpected bold umami fusion of flavor coming from tempeh, miso, tamari, rice vinegar, and sesame seed oil. Even though this is a healthy meal, the two tablespoons of mayo give it an incredibly satisfying richness.
• Healthy – using two types of fermented ingredients (chickpea miso and tempeh), this dish is full with probiotics which promote a healthy gut.
• Easy to make – no fancy techniques are needed to make this dish, the most difficult thing is to de-seed the courgette. From there on you just need to mash the chickpeas and crumble the tempeh. It only takes 40 minutes to take.
• High-protein – 27 grams of plant protein per serving will provide you with long-lasting energy, that keeps you full longer than a carbohydrates-rich meal.

Ingredients and their replacements

Courgettes

• Courgettes – small to medium are the best for this recipe. Choose the size that will fit your plate. Any type of summer squash should work as well, as they mainly have similar mild flavors.
• Chickpeas – canned are fine to use, but you are welcome to cook them yourself, just remember to soak them in salty water overnight. Chickpeas are nutrient-dense and rich in proteins, as well as a source of folate, iron, vitamin C, and phosphorus
• Mayonnaise – bland mayo flavor will add a lot of richness to the chickpea stuffing.
• Chickpea miso – is mild, salty-sweet tasting, which is amazing in dips, spreads, and sauces. We prefer this type over other miso types, for its mild flavor, but if you have a different preference, or have difficulties finding chickpea miso, go with what you have.
• Sea salt – is needed for seasoning the courgettes and moisture-extraction before baking.

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Tempeh crumble topping marinade

• Tamari – is a gluten-free Japanese soy sauce that is made from fermented soybeans and wheat. We love to cook with it, becasue it has a slightly sweeter and richer flavor than soy sauce. If you are not gluten intolerant, you can replace it with a regular soy sauce.
• Sesame oil – has a distinct sweet nutty flavour that goes well with tamari and rice vinegar. If you want a bold sesame flavor, use oil made from toasted seeds. For a milder flavour use raw sesame seed oil.
• Rice vinegar – is made from fermented rice and has a milder and less sharp flavour than apple or wine vinegar.
• Maple syrup – is a thick sugary syrup made from Maple leaves. It originates in Canada. It’s sweetness and notes of caramel will provide the perfect balance to the rest of the bold flavours used in the tempeh marinade.
• Sea salt – for seasoning the crumble.

Step-by-step process

Courgettes

1. Cut both courgettes length-wise.
2. With a spoon hollow-out the inside of all courgettes.
3. Massage a teaspoon of salt on the inner part of the courgette and set aside for about 10-15 minutes. This will help to draw out some of the water from zucchini, which will result in a firmer texture of the baked courgette.
4. While waiting, make the tempeh crumble and preheat the oven at 200 Celsius (400 Fahrenheit).
5. After 10-15 minutes have passed and the courgettes have released a visible amount of water, drain the water, or soak it with a kitchen towel.
6. Place the boats on a baking tray with parchment paper and bake for 20-25 minutes. You’ll know they are ready when the edges have turned light brown.

Tempeh crumble

1. If you want to make this tempeh crumble in an air fryer, see our recipe for it here.
2. Crumble the tempeh, using your hands. The smaller the crumbs, the crunchier they will get. Nevertheless, it’s also nice for the crumble to have some bite to it, so we suggest crumbling the tofu in some smaller and some slightly bigger sizes.
3. In a deep plate or a bowl, mix the rice vinegar, maple syrup, tamari, and sesame oil. This is the marinade.
4. Add the crumbled tempeh and mix well with the marinate.
5. Place the marinated tempeh crumbs in the oven at 200 Celsius (400 Fahrenheit) for 30 minutes, or in the air fryer at 180 Celsius (350 Fahrenheit) for 10 – 12 minutes.
6. To get an even roast, open the oven / air fryer and shake the tempeh around, to get the less fried bits on top. For best results do this two times in the frying / baking process.
7. One minute before it’s done, you can brush one tea spoon of sesame oil on the tempeh. This will help it crisp up.

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Chickpea stuffing

1. Grab a can (or about 1 3/4 cups) of cooked and drained chickpeas and place them in a deep plate.
2. With a fork mash the chickpeas until a paste has formed. Alternatively, pulse the chickpeas with a kitchen mixer until a paste starts forming. Leave some half-smashed chickpeas in the mixture for texture.
3. Add the mayo, miso, and half a teaspoon of salt to the chickpea mixture and mix well until evenly distributed.
4. Stuff the zucchini with the chickpea paste. You want them to be generously stuffed in every corner, but you should avoid creating a bulge because there needs to be space for the tempeh crumble.
5. Before adding the tempeh, place the stuffed zucchini back in to the oven for 5 minutes to warm up.
6. Take out of the oven, put on a plate, and top with the tempeh crumble and toasted sesame seeds.

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Serving suggestions

These stuffed zucchini are a satisfying and balanced meal, low in carbohydrates and high in protein. They make a perfect light yet filling lunch or dinner option. If you are seeking additional carbohydrates, I recommend serving them alongside rice.

I love to sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds on top for extra flavor and crunch. Jalapeno peppers (fresh or pickled), chile crunch (chile oil), fried onion flakes, and crushed peanuts, would also make fantastic toppings.

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Stuffed courgette

Author: Darja

This high-protein stuffed courgette offers a delightful fusion of flavor. The inner stuffing is creamy and made from mashed chickpeas, miso, and mayo. This is topped with a tempeh crumble, marinated in tamari, rice vinegar, maple syrup, and sesame oil, which provides a satisfying contrast of flavors and textures. If you're seeking a fresh take on stuffed courgettes, this recipe is sure to impress.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course High protein, Mains, Roasted veggies

Cuisine Fusion, Healthy, plant-based, vegan, vegetarian

Servings 2 people

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Equipment

• 2 Deep plates
• 1 Knife
• 1 Spoon
• 1 Cutting board
• 2 Baking tray with parchment paper

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

Courgette

• 2 courgettes
• 1 teaspoon salt

Chickpea filling

• 240 grams cooked chickpeas
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon chickpea miso
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Tempeh crumble

• 200 grams tempeh
• 3 tablespoons tamari
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup

Instructions

 

Courgettes

• Cut the courgettes length-wise.
• With a spoon hollow out the inside of all courgettes.
• Massage a 1 teaspoon salt on the inner part of the courgette and set aside for about 10-15 minutes.
• This will help to draw out some of the water from zucchini, which will result in a firmer texture of the baked courgette. While waiting, make the tempeh crumble and preheat the oven at 200 Celsius (400 Fahrenheit).
• After 10-15 minutes have passed and the courgettes have released a visible amount of water, drain the water, or soak it with a kitchen towel.
• Place the boats on a baking tray with parchment paper and bake for 20-25 minutes. You'll know they are ready when the edges have turned light brown.

Tempeh crumble

• The smaller the crumbs, the crunchier they will get. Nevertheless, it's also nice for the crumble to have some bite to it, so we suggest crumbling the tofu in some smaller and some slightly bigger sizes. Crumble the tempeh, using your hands.
• In a deep plate or a bowl, mix the 1 teaspoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon maple syrup , 3 tablespoons tamari , and 1 tablespoon sesame oil . This is the marinade.
• Add the crumbled tempeh and mix well with the marinade.
• Place the marinated tempeh crumbs in the oven at 200 Celsius (400 Fahrenheit) for 30 minutes, or in the air fryer at 180 Celsius (350 Fahrenheit) for 10 – 12 minutes. To get an even roast, open the oven / air fryer and shake the tempeh around, to get the less fried bits on top. For best results do this two times in the frying / baking process.
• One minute before it's done, you can brush one tea spoon of sesame oil on the tempeh. This will help it crisp up.

Chickpea filling

• Grab 240 grams cooked chickpeas and place them in a deep plate.With a fork mash the chickpeas until a paste has formed. Alternatively, pulse the chickpeas with a kitchen mixer until a paste starts forming. Leave some half-smashed chickpeas in the mixture for texture.
• Add the 2 tablespoons mayonnaise , 1 teaspoon chickpea miso , and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the chickpea mixture and mix well until evenly distributed.
• Stuff the zucchinis with this chickpea paste. You want them to be generously stuffed in every corner, but you should avoid creating a bulge because there needs to be space for the tempeh crumble.
• Before adding the tempeh, place the stuffed zucchini back into the oven for 5 minutes to warm up.
• Take out of the oven, put on a plate, and top with the tempeh crumble and toasted sesame seeds.

Notes

• If you want to make this tempeh crumble in an air fyer, see our recipe for it here.
• We like to enjoy these stuffed courgettes as a full meal. They are perfect for a light dinner or lunch that will keep you full for a long time.
• Other toppings could be pickled or fresh jalapeno peppers, or chile crunch (chile oil).

Nutrition

Calories: 615kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 35gFat: 34gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 15gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 4108mgPotassium: 1324mgFiber: 12gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 438IUVitamin C: 35mgCalcium: 235mgIron: 7mg

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